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On day four of the 2019 Innersearch, pilgrims joined students of the Kopay Kottam in an elaborate parade with music and flags. Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and the pilgrims stopped at the local temple nearby to offer our worship and continued to Subramuniya Kottam in Kopay.

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Yesterday was a marvelous day at Iraivan. The Kodi Maram was lifted by crane and four top roof stones of the Nandi Mandapam roof where placed around it. It was magical. It is really tall! Congratulations to the Siddhidata Kulam and especially the silpis and Sannyasin Yoginathaswami. The logistics of the operation was a "smooth as glass!"

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Yesterday our monks traveling in Sri Lanka, made a brief stop over at the Santhirapala family’s Bhairava Temple in Erlalai. There they enjoyed a wonderful puja with the UK-based family, who are also attending the 2019 Innersearch program.

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Our innersearchers had a spectacular day on Monday, March 18, 2019, for the foot pilgramage to Columbuthurai from Nallur Kandaswamy Temple. The traffic virtually stopped at each junction as pilgrims from all over Jaffna, together with the Innersearchers, took their journey to pay homage to Paramaguru Yogaswami. These photo are from two side-by-side shrines. The one with the silver Tiruvadi is where Yogaswami spent many years living and was later renovated. The other is where his Samadhi ashes are kept and a granite Tiruvadi resides.

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The much awaited visit to Nallur Kandaswamy Temple took place in the early morning on Sunday March 17. The majestic Nallur is the epicenter of the Sri Lankan Hindu identity. No photos were allowed in the temple and watchful eyes made sure all rules were adhered to. Men do not wear upper garments, as is tradition. The temple's administration has a flawless discipline in punctuality, order and neatness together with a humble approach to the equality for worship. Whether a local pilgrim, a high-ranking official or an esteemed guru, all are treated the same here. Come on time and you can pray to Lord Muruga's Holy Vel in the inner sanctum. An Innersearch pilgrim's visit here with Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami can only be experienced to be known and will be held in reverence forever. After Nallur Temple, Innersearch pilgrims walked a small distance behind the Temple to pay homage to Nallai Addheenam and Sri La Sri Somasunthara Paramachariya Swamigal.

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All that is here, all that we have as a monks... our life, our mission, our path, the glorious unfoldment we strive for every day, the magical manifestation of Gurudeva's vision for Kauai Aadheenam and Iraivan and Saiva Siddhanta which spreads across the world... It is all here because of Siva Yogaswami and the Guru Parampara.

Today on Ashlesha Nakshatra, the monks honor the great sage of Columbuturai, Jaffna in the dim hours at dawn (we had to enhance the photos by adding light...), in the Guru Peetham where we have a small shrine with Siva Yogaswami. We honored him with a small arati before the morning meditation. Not a day goes by when we do not reflect on his Natchintanai or Good Thoughts! They are the lodestar, the North Star, keeping our heads held high, with the unfailing knowledge - Intha aanmaa nitthiyam - The soul Is eternal! We share some of his words...

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Today the Kodi Maram was removed completely from its crate and prepared for Larry Conklin, our crane operator, to place it in the Nandi Mandapam. The bottom of the Kodi Maram is wrapped with lead sheets to preserve the wood. Brass screws are used to secure to lead sheets to the Kodi Maram.

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At 6:30 am Innersearch pilgrims brought their luggage down to the lobby at Jetwing Blue Hotel in Negombo. We have a long day ahead to Jaffna. After breakfast the pilgrims split up and boarded into two buses, the Banyan bus and the Cow gomatha bus. Lunch was in Anuradhapura. The stop at Elephant Pass Ganesha Shrine was to pay homage to Lord Ganesha for our journey and to immerse us in the memories of the path taken by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami many decades ago when he undertook his journey to meet Paramaguru Yogaswami.

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To go to Himalayan Acres, which is what we call the agricultural endowment lands on the south side of the river across from Iraivan, requires that we drive one mile north of the Aadheenam and then take a left to go west and across the river.

To make that crossing we go over a ford that has about 10, two-foot culverts buried in concrete that take river water under the flat surface that provides a bridge over the rocky base of the river. Of course, when the river is in spate, then 5 feet or more of water flows above the ford, and we cannot makes the crossing.

Recent floods blocked the culvert with rocks and even when the river was low, we could not cross.

Acharya Arumugaswami, who heads the noni operation, was determined to clear the culverts which make ford crossable ever when the river is a little high. Off we went for adventure on dry, sunny day to see what could be done.

From Our Gurus' Teachings

Become an accomplished human being; soar into the fourth dimension. Artists experience mountaintop consciousness. Having their source in humble devotion to the Lord, Saiva cultural arts: singing, drama, dance, playing musical instruments and creative skills strengthen concentration and are a form of worship. Religious art is an expression of the soul nature, bringing the beauty of the within into manifestation.
How Can We Be Strong Saivite Hindus?

Gurudeva: "The time has come for Hindus of all races, all nations, of all cultures, of all sects to stand up and let the peoples of the world know of the great religion of which they are one of the staunch adherents." The first way of learning religion is to memorize its tenants. The challenge of living with Siva means bringing religion into the home, into the family, into our interactions with all other people. Kshama-forbearance and patience. Everything we experience we set in motion. Everything is just the next thing to do. Treat everyone in a friendly and inspiring way. Learn our religion and then live by it.
Click here to go to an index of all of Bodhinatha's and Gurudeva's online audio.